Hyundai NTC 1-7 Perth RedStar
by Ben Gilby (13/7/24)
Above: Perth RedStar seen in the huddle earlier in the season – the defending champions produced a super display this afternoon against Hyundai NTC. Photo supplied to Impetus by: Denyse McCulloch.
Perth RedStar put the NTC to the sword at Sam Kerr Football Centre this afternoon with four goals in a devastating 12 second-half minutes demonstrating their ruthlessness as they look to retain their NPLW WA title.
This was a performance that immediately allayed any fear that a game less than 72 hours previously might make the champions’ legs heavy. Carlos Vega Mena’s side took their chances when they were dominating and indeed, could have racked up even more goals if not for some great saves from Megan Phillips and being denied by the woodwork.
The home side were able bring Ischia Brooking onto the bench after Western Sydney Wanderers announced they had released her on Friday afternoon. Brooking became the youngest-ever player to appear in the A-League Women last season at the age of just 14 years and 347 days, and is a sensational talent. NTC head coach Ben Anderton was also able to bring dangerous attacker Klaudia Houlis back into the starting lineup.
RedStar, fresh from a 3-0 win at Balcatta Etna in Wednesday night’s State Cup semi-final had Carla Bennett in their starting lineup to record her 300th appearance for the club as Northern Redbacks/Perth RedStar – a outstanding achievement from a superb servant of the Western Australian game.
NTC looked to impose their intricate passing structure on proceedings from the start but had real challenges to use it effectively as RedStar’s rapid press made it nigh on impossible for the teenagers to make any progress. Consequently, it was a first 10 minutes full of transitions in play.
From one such turn-over, Olivia Wood intercepted a pass just inside the NTC half and lifted a shot just over the top. The attacker was following up her superb display in last weekend’s league win at Balcatta Etna with another influential performance.
The home side could point to the efforts of Sakura Leong’s wide play and Theodora Mouithys’ presence and energy, but their impact was reduced by both the RedStar press and their team’s problems in producing telling passes in the final third.
With a quarter of an hour played, the visitors came the closest so far. Reina Kagami’s corner on the right was flicked by Mischa Anderson and played back by Quyen Doan for Bennett to hit an effort just wide.
However, RedStar had better luck just minutes later. Another Kagami corner came in high and was initially cleared by the NTC, but only as far as Momoko Sakairi to fire back into the mix for Manami Arai to hit a stunning shot with the outside of her foot that came back off of the bar for Doan to pounce on to put the visitors ahead.
Within two minutes, the defending champions doubled their advantage. Home goalkeeper Megan Phillips played a clearance out which was snaffled up by Kagami to lift a sensational shot from almost 40 yards straight into the net.
The NTC responded well and produced their most consistent period of possession and territory in the game. Harper Collinson was looking to bring others into the play, and Houlis was popping up across the front third at will, lively, full of lovely turns and clever footwork.
Four minutes before the end of regular time in the half, Leong gathered possession and turned outside the box to hit a shot just wide of the right-hand post. Sarah Carroll would see an effort go narrowly wide for the visitors shortly afterwards.
Then, with three minutes of stoppage time played, the home side got a reward for their efforts. They were awarded a free-kick around 10 yards outside the box to the right for handball. Nelli Johnson curled in a superb set piece towards space at the back post for Hannah Collins to head home.
There was still time for another goal before the interval – and it would prove to be game-breaking. Perth RedStar are a champion team for many reasons – one of which is that they always take their chances at the most crucial points in matches, and five minutes into stoppage time they struck.
Olivia Wood was found with a perfectly judged ball through into space, she turned her defender in the box and curled a sumptuous effort into the right-hand top corner of the net.
RedStar would continue to dominate the chances in the second period. They were able to play the crucial passes and control possession in a way that the NTC couldn’t consistently manage.
Seven minutes into the second period, Sakairi turned her marker and threaded a pass through into the box for Kagami to hit a shot from a central position that Phillips parried away. Shortly afterwards, the same duo went one on one again, with Phillips saving at the cost of a corner.
There then followed a killer period of four RedStar goals in the space of just 12 minutes. Olivia Wood continued her excellent performance by claiming her second of the afternoon.
Next, a brilliantly executed ball through enabled Arai to advance to the edge of the six-yard box and fire a shot through Phillips and in. No more than 60 seconds later it would be 6-1 as Ridley gained possession on the right, beat Chloe Gaspar, and cut in to supply substitute Renee Leota to side foot home into the right-hand corner.
RedStar continued to push, and they were denied by a brilliant double save by Phillips with just under 15 minutes remaining. She first produced a superb dive to stop Ridley’s effort and then denied Leota’s follow-up.
However, moments later the NTC keeper was beaten as a RedStar corner from the left was initially cleared, but came back into the mix for Ridley to get up highest to head home.
RedStar had one further chance when Mischa Anderson broke through on the left-hand edge of the area and saw her shot come cannoning back off of the post.
This was another demonstration of the ruthless nature of Perth RedStar – they could have had double figures if not for Phillips’ saves and the woodwork. If any of the chasing pack needed a reminder of the huge importance of taking chances when they come in order to defeat RedStar they just need to watch this game back to see the consequences and a team scoring goals when they have the upper hand.
The NTC will come back from this and with the likes of Brooking, Cuthbert, and Houlis back in a very young and talented squad, things can get better as the weeks go by.
Teams: HYUNDAI NTC: Phillips, C. Gaspar, N. Johnson, Cuthbert, Collinson, O’Halloran, Collins, Mouithys, Houlis, Tana, Leong. Substitutes: Clayton, E. Gaspar, Brooking, Skinner, Britton, Healey, Rennie.
Scorer: Collins 45+3′.
PERTH REDSTAR: Dal Busco, Woolley, Dunn, Anderson, Doan, Bennett, Sakairi, Kagami, Arai, Wood, Carroll. Substitutes: Ridley, Ritchie, Leota, Finnegan, Odonohoe.
Scorers: Doan 19′, Kagami 21′, Wood 45+5′, 65′. Arai 72′, Leota 73′, Ridley 77′.
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